authentic reviews and insightful interviews for inquisitive readers
A quick little roundup of several smaller reviews I wrote in Summer 2024. Beware of spoilers! Title: The Sorority Author: Nancy Bush Series: n/a Thank you to Nancy Bush, Brilliance Audio, and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to a free eaudio ARC in exchange for an honest review. I’ve seen Bush’s name around for a long time but never got around to trying her work, so when I saw this galley I thought it was time to give her …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper A is for Amish by Shelley Shepard Gray has a premise where four English siblings with Amish grandparents are seriously thinking of becoming Amish. They are discontent with their lives and long for a change. Beth, Jonny, Kelsey, and Martin Schrock had their father leave the Amish faith, marry an English woman, and then had their parents get divorced. The parents were pretty much doing their own thing, searching for their own happiness, and …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper An Amish Country Reunion by Patricia Johns centers around two people and one very special dog. The heroine, Trooper Genevieve Austin, arrives at the State Police K9 Training Center. She learns that she’ll be reporting to her former partner, Sergeant Scott Simpson who was not just her partner but her best friend. Gen hasn’t seen Scott since he ghosted her to protect his job. And after her own struggles to climb the ranks, she …
Title: Fated Author: Sarah Ready Series: Ghosted #3 Much thanks to Sarah Ready, Swift & Lewis Publishing, and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to a free eaudio ARC in exchange for an honest review. I LOVED this book. I did not want to stop listening; I know that’s over used hype for most books these days (I can’t believe we’ve made “unputdownable” a word), but I honestly was loath to stop listening, to the point that I had headphones …
A quick little roundup of several smaller reviews I wrote in Summer 2024. Beware of spoilers! Title: Thieves’ Gambit Author: Kayvion Lewis Series: Thieves’ Gambit #1 Thank you to Kayvion Lewis, Penguin Young Readers Group, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free copy in exchange for an honest review. I liked this book! I saw the twist coming from the start, though. I found little to relate to in Ross, except perhaps in wanting to pursue to her …
A quick little roundup of several smaller reviews I wrote in Summer 2024. Beware of spoilers! Title: House of Marionne Author: J. Elle Series: House of Marionne #1 Much thanks to J. Elle, Penguin/Razorbill, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book hits many of the same story beats as other YA fantasy*, so I could understand if some readers accuse it of being formulaic. I didn’t mind its predictability. …
A quick little roundup of several smaller reviews I wrote in Summer 2024. Beware of spoilers! Title: The Burning Author: Linda Castillo Series: Kate Burkholder #16 Much thanks to Linda Castillo, St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for allowing me to use free ARCs in exchange for an honest review. Not much to say, this book was great! The mystery was very intriguing and brilliantly framed the dilemma of victim blaming, how easy it is to fall into. The …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Ambush in the Mountains by Mary Alford a story of second chances, forgiveness, self-healing, compassion, unbridled trust, friendship, love, and redemption. As with most of her books she uses the weather as a character. Like the previous book, this book dealt with the dark subject of human trafficking in a compassionate and informative way. The opening scene in the story has Elizabeth Wyse remembering her Amish roots when she enjoyed the snow. At 18 …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper It Had to Be You by Eliza Jane Brazier is part fantasy, part thriller, and part romance. Readers might think about the similarity to the movie “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. The book opens with contract killers Eva and Jonathan meeting on a train going from Florence to Paris. They both act on their physical attraction yet go their separate ways until six months later they meet at Versailles …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper The River Queen by Stephenia H. McGee has readers experience the glitz and glamour of a showboat, along with an immigrant family and their flare for showmanship. There are River pirates, smuggling, some romance, showboats, and a setting of the Roaring 20s. Readers find Emmett Carter who is investing with his brother in their inheritance in a steamboat. The boat is attacked by river pirates, and he is thrown overboard. Left with nothing else …